Is this a race or can anyone win just by finding the caches? Are the caches ones that already exist or will these be temporary just for this event?

TeamHorwich

08-23-2009, 07:57 AM

There will be 30+ caches of a variety of D/T, sizes, and styles (trad, multi, puzzle, etc...) They will be permanent caches listed on GC.com There will be prizes for "winners" with the most cache finds as well as a bunch of raffle items. Should be a fun day...more info and rules will be posted soon.

Team V3

08-23-2009, 06:03 PM

When is the actual deadline to sign up? I am very interested and Melissa may be too.

squirrelcache

08-23-2009, 07:40 PM

Looks like registrations/money need to be in by Sept. 19th

Haffy

08-23-2009, 08:11 PM

There will be 30+ caches of a variety of D/T, sizes, and styles (trad, multi, puzzle, etc...) They will be permanent caches listed on GC.com There will be prizes for "winners" with the most cache finds as well as a bunch of raffle items. Should be a fun day...more info and rules will be posted soon.

Will they be listed all at the same time so cachers who aren't involved with the event will have a chance to be the FTF or will the event cachers be given the ability to find them before they are actually published? Just curious.

squirrelcache

08-23-2009, 08:20 PM

Haffy......you found work in Maine.....and are going to join us at the Rallye!? That's awesome!

Haffy

08-23-2009, 09:22 PM

I wish, I was just curious about it that's all. Don't start that rumor...;):eek:
The final registration date is my birthday though...;)

squirrelcache

08-23-2009, 09:44 PM

As I understand it from reading other State oragnizations' Event postings....... there's a huge challenge for people who find caches which are often temporary. The caches are only temporary and can't be logged as found because they don't have a GC.com listing. WGA(Wisconsin) is a good example. There have been many work-arounds...some more acceptable than others.

So why waste the Great caches....set them up for an event then list and keep them around so that others can appreciate them as well. The MGA event caches keep the name so you know they were from the event. As far as the FTFs go....well if you release them before an event...they stand to be muggled before the event, kinda pointless. So if you want the FTF, you get to attend the event and join the fierce fun!

Gob-ler

08-24-2009, 08:30 PM

Haffy, just let it be and let the folks enjoy the rally. It has been previously discussed and what all did that produce besides grief? What difference does it make?

As far as unpublished event caches some enterprising folks out this way have discovered a way to get credit for the unpublished event caches. I would not do it, but some do the credit thing by multiple logging of the actual event itself for each of the "Event Caches" that are not published that they find. The Rally caches are not in that category.

hollora

08-24-2009, 08:49 PM

Haffy, just let it be and let the folks enjoy the rally. It has been previously discussed and what all did that produce besides grief? What difference does it make?

As far as unpublished event caches some enterprising folks out this way have discovered a way to get credit for the unpublished event caches. I would not do it, but some do the credit thing by multiple logging of the actual event itself for each of the "Event Caches" that are not published that they find. The Rally caches are not in that category.

Gob-ler, you are right. When playing in MD, PA, ME, where ever - play as they do. And why, when living away, debate the issues for this state.

Have tried to be a sit back silent person on these boards but wanted to say - you are right on here! Thanks for coming around to visit. You bring a voice of, may I say, "reason" to some debates.

Hope all is well. Although I may not participate in the rally (but it sounds like a ton of fun - wished I had a group to join)..........I agree - just let folks enjoy it.

Seasons best and on to Fall!

Haffy

08-24-2009, 09:01 PM

I just asked a simple question here and that was it. I feel I am as much a part of this community as anyone else here regardless if I live in a different state or not. Gobler doesn't live here anymore either so what's your beef LA? Sheesh, everyone gets all upset over nothing but a simple question about a caches being prefound before they are submitted for publishing as was the case in a previous event of this sort. I see it's not going to happen that way this time so there isn't any discussion on my part. This was all over and done with til Gobler brought it up but I stand my ground.

Gob-ler

08-24-2009, 09:16 PM

Problem is Haffy many of your questions are not simple questions. They are questions asked to only stir the pot. I think the pot has been stirred enough in the past don't you?

Haffy

08-24-2009, 09:21 PM

Dick I'm not trying to stir anything up, it was just a simple question from a simple man who wanted just a simple answer. Sorry if I stirred anything up,it wasn't my intent and it was all over and done with til you came in and added your 2 cents. I'll just leave this it that.

lexmano

08-25-2009, 07:18 AM

Will they be listed all at the same time so cachers who aren't involved with the event will have a chance to be the FTF or will the event cachers be given the ability to find them before they are actually published? Just curious.

The cache information will be distributed the morning of the Rallye. The caches will be published later. So non-Rallye folks are unlikely to have a shot at FTF.

As for the Rallye competition, there are no bonus points for FTFs. So FTF is not a relevant factor.

PS it is looking good for 40+ caches, maybe more.

Haffy

08-25-2009, 08:09 AM

Ok my main point was made and things haven't changed from the 1st time it was held then. Thanks for the update Lex. Case closed.

squirrelcache

08-25-2009, 09:08 AM

:(( I enjoy people.... encouraging......listening......chatting. One thing that I hear often.... and can relate to.... Why can't we all just get along!? So many people Don't get involved or play along because of all the Needless personal politics. I've walked away from Geocaching because of it.......and avoided Many events too. I also took a period of time away from these boards and didn't donate money. So...I hope it's true that Misery likes Misery...cause that's all there'll be in time if lessons aren't learned. There are reminders all around us....Everyday.... listen and learn I say. Play the game...smile often... enjoy life....it's way too short not to.....

Cache....and Let Cache

Gob-ler

08-25-2009, 02:06 PM

Have a great event with your rally. Find them all and smile often!

Wish I was there!

Mainiac1957

08-25-2009, 03:48 PM

It's always nice to have you drop by GC Me.:cool:

dubord207

08-26-2009, 06:01 AM

I have a question, is it a total of 4 people or 4 "official" cachers? Would Dianne and I count as 2 or 1? As the majority of couples seem to cache under one name as we do does that mean our team could be comprised of four couples? Thanks!

TeamHorwich

08-26-2009, 06:11 AM

no, four people total...

team moxiepup

08-29-2009, 10:16 PM

What about dogs ;)

TeamHorwich

08-29-2009, 10:26 PM

depends on if they are trained to find tupperware - that should cost extra ; )

Mapachi

09-03-2009, 09:08 PM

This might sound weird, but What if a NON-cacher is part of the team, does that person have to be in the picture or sign the log? I guess I'm asking if people who ride "shotgun" and don't hunt for caches, have to be registered?.....This has nothing to do with money....I'd be happy to pay for a "tag-a-long". It has to do with the stipulation that all participents must log the cache.

TeamHorwich

09-03-2009, 10:14 PM

in order to be fair, everyone participating needs to be in the picture...this way no one ends up as just the driver or anything...if they are in the car, they are participating in the rallye...hope that helps...

masterson of the universe

09-04-2009, 09:50 AM

Looking at possibly putting a team together for this. Wondering what the distribution of coords will be like as I've never attended one of these before. Is there just going to be a printed list of coords or are they going to be put online somehow so that there isn't a mess of manual entering? Couple computers with everything set up in GSAK and people just connect and load before they go?

lexmano

09-04-2009, 12:04 PM

In an effort to provide a level playing field to all competitors the cache information will be distributed that morning. You will receive printed pages for each cache similar to those on line and a master list of caches. You will also get a list of virtual "caches". These are things you might observe in your travels and you get points for finding them.

In the past the cache information had been available earlier and electronically, but it was felt that the technically astute competitors gained too large an advantage using their mapping and routing software. That is why we elected to distribute paper information to all at the same time.

So everyone should be starting from about the same spot.

lexmano

09-04-2009, 01:58 PM

Just received an update from other hiders, there are 5 hiders for the rally, and it can now be confirmed that we will have more than 50 new geocaches released for the Rallye!

These will not all be park and grabs. Many types of hides and caches. The caches will be assigned point values based on their perceived difficulty or time needed to complete them. If you take a lot of time to complete a tougher cache, you will get more points than a simple park and grab.

It is not believed that any team can humanly do all the Rallye caches in the seven hours of competition time. It should be a wide open playing field for those who seek to be competitive and a great deal of fun for all cachers.

TRF

09-05-2009, 11:13 AM

I think there are a three of us that are going to do the rally. If there is an individual that wants to do this but can't muster up a team let me know. We are going to be a rag-tag team but we will have lots of laughs and a good time no matter. Anybody with the monikor brdad is welcome to join :D even if the brdad monikor is synonymous with curmudgeon! (hehehe)

Cache On!!

brdad

09-05-2009, 12:14 PM

I think there are a three of us that are going to do the rally. If there is an individual that wants to do this but can't muster up a team let me know. We are going to be a rag-tag team but we will have lots of laughs and a good time no matter. Anybody with the monikor brdad is welcome to join :D even if the brdad monikor is synonymous with curmudgeon! (hehehe)

Cache On!!

Sorry, but I refuse to participate in an event which I might enjoy despite having disagreements with some facets of it! Then again, I am heading to a potluck card tournament in an hour in which at least one person will bring some god awful food like dill pickles or spinach bites which I am totally against and think it reflects poorly on the game. :D At least I'll have my sweet and sour meatballs and Lee's salmon salad to fall back on.

But, have fun, cache responsibly, and remember how you act will reflect on all cachers in the area.

squirrelcache

09-05-2009, 12:57 PM

What!? We can't speed, ignore one-ways, rolling stops, push/shove, run faster, take off-trail shortcuts, cut through people's yards, ignore parking coords, re-hide differently, photoshop cache finds, use signatures/stickers that are faster and take up 3x the usual, and just plain get creative in order to get one more cache than the next guy!? Man I didn't sign up for this!! lol :D

Mapachi

09-05-2009, 08:17 PM

Are all the caches going to be 1 on terrain, so handycapped can participate?

TeamHorwich

09-05-2009, 08:29 PM

no, they will not be...I'll check and see how many might be...

dubord207

09-05-2009, 08:33 PM

Hey, brdad...What parts of the geo-rally do you have issues? Sounds like fun but I admit I've never been to one.

brdad

09-05-2009, 09:08 PM

Hey, brdad...What parts of the geo-rally do you have issues? Sounds like fun but I admit I've never been to one.

The biggest is the all familiar issue I have with the promotion of competition/racing/numbers/lets not take time to enjoy a cache, which I think can make an effect on how caching is portrayed to the community. Smaller issues include using unpublished caches and having to play to participate, neither of which has much if any impact on caching as a whole - it just seems a bit tacky to me personally.

That being said, I have never heard of any serious issues that have resulted from any of the similar rallies in this state. I do know there have been issues on occasions with other competitions in this state and with a few rallies elsewhere.

Since I know your opinion of the competition subject differs greatly from mine, there is a good chance you would love it.

dubord207

09-06-2009, 06:41 AM

While I wouldn't suggest that I'm not competitive, geocaching is probably the least competitive activity I enjoy. I think the competition is with myself and not with the caching communitiy. While a FTF effort is undeniably competitive, most caching activities are not. My biggest enjoyment is caching with friends. If we do the rally, it will be with mapachi and shotgun, very good friends and clever cachers, but all of us in the "60ish" age category and we won't be in this to win anything, just for the good time. Plus, there are a lot of very nice and very clever cachers in the Portland area who aren't often on this site but who put out great caches and are fun to cache with as well. It will be good to see those folks.

We will try it but don't bet on us to be competitve at this event. If you want to see my competitve side, meet me at the golf course or a shooting range!:)

Gob-ler

09-06-2009, 07:10 AM

Carefull Brdad, the guy can shoot! I have witnessed it first hand.

Have fun with your rally folks!

Cache on!

shuman road searchers

09-06-2009, 07:41 AM

But can he golf?????

Gob-ler

09-06-2009, 08:00 AM

He can Talk!

Team V3

09-07-2009, 07:49 PM

Team V3 is seriously thinking about it. We don't even have a 4th yet. While the prizes sound nice, the journey and the experience definitely appeal to us more. Anything else is a bonus.

dubord207

09-07-2009, 07:54 PM

But can he golf?????

Played Friday with Di. Had three sevens! Still shot 83. You ready for me?

I would love to beat you there but some of us folks have to actually work for a living! We will get our chance to try and beat the h@#l out of each other on the course or quit after 9 and drink beer the rest of the afternoon!

dubord207

09-07-2009, 08:12 PM

What a flimsy excuse..Work? Okay, I admit I have to go in tomorrow and find out what my secretaries want me to do all day.. but heck, no reason I can't sneak in a little golf here and there!:)

Rummels? You mean Giffords now. I wish it were Rummels. I worked for Rummels when he owned a part of the "Silent Woman" and he let me drive his Bentley,that was cool.

dubord207

09-07-2009, 08:22 PM

Rummels? You mean Giffords now. I wish it were Rummels. I worked for Rummels when he owned a part of the "Silent Woman" and he let me drive his Bentley,that was cool.

Whit was a piece of work for sure. I grew up at the corner of Silvermount and Silver Street so Rummels was just a pitching wedge away. Still great ice cream, no dining room anymore. I know that course like the back of my hand so SRS is unlikely to take me on at that track. Of course, I'm not going out to Brooks either. I think Sugarloaf would be a good neutral place for a little $25 Nassau!:)

Haffy

09-07-2009, 08:27 PM

Whit was a piece of work for sure. I grew up at the corner of Silvermount and Silver Street so Rummels was just a pitching wedge away. Still great ice cream, no dining room anymore. I know that course like the back of my hand so SRS is unlikely to take me on at that track. Of course, I'm not going out to Brooks either. I think Sugarloaf would be a good neutral place for a little $25 Nassau!:)

Pitching wedge? You mean 3 wood from where you are at now....lol:D

pm28570

09-07-2009, 08:35 PM

Hmmm....last time I played, I shot in the mid-70's.

Anything hotter than that was uncomfortable. :D

Played Friday with Di. Had three sevens! Still shot 83. You ready for me?

TeamHorwich

09-07-2009, 10:26 PM

and now back to the Rallye info...go here for more info http://sites.google.com/site/mainegeorallye3
(http://sites.google.com/site/mainegeorallye3/)

brdad

09-08-2009, 06:25 AM

See, even with golf - it's all about the numbers! Can't it just be enough to walk around and enjoy the scenery and search out only the best and most unique holes in the ground? :D

dubord207

09-08-2009, 06:41 AM

See, even with golf - it's all about the numbers! Can't it just be enough to walk around and enjoy the scenery and search out only the best and most unique holes in the ground? :D

No, golf is too cruel a game to not keep score. I think it might have been Lee Trevino who once said " Golf is a perfect way to ruin a good walk!"

Now back to the geo-rally. How are the caches scored? Is there a handicap factor for those of us with AARP membership cards?

brdad

09-08-2009, 06:44 AM

The way the rules say, it says it does no good to be early (before 4PM), but you are penalized for being late?

And I am not trying to be negative, but there seems to be a lack of information about the entire event. Many of the questions asked are asked every year.

The scoring, the time limits, examples of the caches, example scoresheet, etc..

TRF

09-08-2009, 06:51 AM

See, even with golf - it's all about the numbers! Can't it just be enough to walk around and enjoy the scenery and search out only the best and most unique holes in the ground? :D

EVERYTHING is about the numbers. We celebrate birthdays which is about he numbers, we have odometer and speedometers to keep track of those numbers, we even put numbers on our houses so people know where they live. Golf, on the otherhand, is about not beating up the person standing closest to you when you muff a shot. We all know it is always the other persons fault, especially those standing close to you, that cause you to muff your shot; cologne is to strong, to much chit-chat, etc. etc. Counting the numbers in golf is just a diversionary tactic to help take your mind off of beating up "the closest person" with your putter. It seems to work as there are not many assaults on the gold course. :)

Back to the Rallye. How many 1/1 hides would be necessary, or better yet have the same point value as a 2.5/2.5 or a 5/5. I guess ultimately what I'm asking, having never done a rallye, would it behoove our team to do all 1/1's or would there be more value in doing all the "higher" rated caches that will be placed?

lexmano

09-08-2009, 09:31 AM

The way the rules say, it says it does no good to be early (before 4PM), but you are penalized for being late?

And I am not trying to be negative, but there seems to be a lack of information about the entire event. Many of the questions asked are asked every year.

The scoring, the time limits, examples of the caches, example scoresheet, etc..

The scoring will not be determined until all the hiders confer and rank the caches. Tentatively, the lowest ranking real cache will score equally with the highest virtuals. Scoring may be on a ten point scale, virtuals scoring 1 to 3 or 4, caches coring 3 or 4 to 10. We have a couple caches contemplated which may be more than 10 points due to their unique requirements and time to complete.

Caches will be ranked on their perceived difficulty and time to complete. For example, if you elect to do a cache that requires a hike, you will receive a higher point score than a park & grab.

You have 7 hours to complete the Rallye, getting back early is a good idea, but you get no reward for it. However, if you are late turning in your score card because you misjudged your caching time it would not be fair to accept your scores with no consideration of that fact.

We apologize for the lack of solid details, but the process is emerging. Be assured the primary goal is to have fun doing something you love. The committee will resolve all disputes in an equitable manner. Technical reliance on rules, while demonstrating unfair play will not get you far. If you are unduly competitive, this may not be for you.

If you want to have fun and push yourself, this should be your thing. The biggest prize of all, the DeLorme PN-40, will be given away in a drawing among the participants.

As to the hides, we should have puzzles, multis, traditionals and letter boxes. We will have many different terrains, including some water caches.
We will have some tricky hides and some easy hides.

We also hope to structure this as two events, the Rallye Kickoff and the Rallye Wrap UP. You do not need to run the Rallye to attend either of these events.

Hope to see a good turn out, there is still plenty of room.

Sudonim

09-08-2009, 06:29 PM

No, golf is too cruel a game to not keep score. I think it might have been Lee Trevino who once said " Golf is a perfect way to ruin a good walk!"

Now back to the geo-rally. How are the caches scored? Is there a handicap factor for those of us with AARP membership cards?

Reminds me of another old joke,
Why do they call it golf?
Because all the other 4 letter words were taken.:p

shuman road searchers

09-08-2009, 07:23 PM

The secret to shooting lower scores is..............................play less holes! I thought this thread was about the rally?! Quit derailing it Dan!

dubord207

09-08-2009, 08:08 PM

The secret to shooting lower scores is..............................play less holes! I thought this thread was about the rally?! Quit derailing it Dan!

"Rally" is when you're 3 down with 4 to play and you throw a "commanche press" at your opponent. (For you non-golfers, that means whatever you were playing for, say $5.00, the next 4 holes are a separate match for $20.00!) Not for the faint of heart and usually you're out 25 at the end of the day, plus buying the drinks!

Back to the rally. I figure with Di, Pat and Shotgun, we'll be about 7 over at the end of the day! Are there any real easy ones (like par 3's) where we can get an award for "closest to the cache?"

squirrelcache

09-08-2009, 08:17 PM

With all the golf talk...I thought maybe someone was hoping for a preview.... a 1/1 available by golf cart, placed by Lexmano ;)

shuman road searchers

09-08-2009, 09:03 PM

I figured I would have a chance at the longest drive at the Rally of course! Probably can win low score also!:D

squirrelcache

09-16-2009, 11:08 PM

Are participants getting a registration confirmation e-mail? It would be horrible to show up the day of the rallye, only to find that their application wasn't received.

lexmano

09-17-2009, 04:03 PM

Are participants getting a registration confirmation e-mail? It would be horrible to show up the day of the rallye, only to find that their application wasn't received.

That is the plan! I believe she told me she had yours Phil, check your inbox soon.:)

lexmano

09-17-2009, 04:16 PM

The hiding committee got together last night for a preliminary look at the hides. There are more than 60 caches contemplated. Maybe as many as 7 or 8 water caches, some long trail walks (more than a mile from parking). some evil hides, some simple puzzles and some park and grabs.

After reviewing the hides I can now say with certainty, no team can do them all in the allotted time. The points are varying, with many relatively time consuming caches which reward those who go for them with higher points.

The prizes are piling up, we are amazed at the generosity being displayed by our sponsors. I enclose a link to a web page with details of rules, equipment needed or suggested and a list of our sponsors.

http://sites.google.com/site/mainegeorallye3/sponsors-3

At this moment there are 14 teams with money in, about 6 or 7 more we are expecting. Only one team from Bangor area so far, come on down folks! We have New York and Massachusetts teams coming.

The entry deadline is Saturday September 19th. Money does not need to be received by then, but we would like to know that your entry is coming. So please speak up.

squirrelcache

09-17-2009, 05:55 PM

I don't have any Geo Rallye experience, and haven't heard any experiences. I understand that you're supposed to stop a specified distance from the cache location if someone is there. I assume that's determined by parking!? Or is the whistle for something more than Emergency use!?

I know as an active sub-community that we do our best to abide by GC.com guidelines. In the FAQ it states that you respect other cachers opportunity at a cache by using an FRS radio, Channel 2 primary and 12 secondary. I bought into the Garmin Rhino series for this pupose, as a multi-use geocaching tool. However I've not found Anyone else that follows this, and have since had to adjust to something locally known as a Co-FTF!?

So....are we using our hi-tech knowledge and experience to make the game more fun? Or are we adding to the barrage of whistles being blown in the Maine woods during bird season, while our team members are busy running around like dogs looking to flush Something out!?

WhereRWe?

09-17-2009, 06:21 PM

I don't have any Geo Rallye experience, and haven't heard any experiences. I understand that you're supposed to stop a specified distance from the cache location if someone is there. I assume that's determined by parking!? Or is the whistle for something more than Emergency use!?

I know as an active sub-community that we do our best to abide by GC.com guidelines. In the FAQ it states that you respect other cachers opportunity at a cache by using an FRS radio, Channel 2 primary and 12 secondary. I bought into the Garmin Rhino series for this pupose, as a multi-use geocaching tool. However I've not found Anyone else that follows this, and have since had to adjust to something locally known as a Co-FTF!?

So....are we using our hi-tech knowledge and experience to make the game more fun? Or are we adding to the barrage of whistles being blown in the Maine woods during bird season, while our team members are busy running around like dogs looking to flush Something out!?

Sheesh! I like this comment - I really do! LOL! :D:D

brdad

09-17-2009, 06:31 PM

I know as an active sub-community that we do our best to abide by GC.com guidelines. In the FAQ it states that you respect other cachers opportunity at a cache by using an FRS radio, Channel 2 primary and 12 secondary. I bought into the Garmin Rhino series for this pupose, as a multi-use geocaching tool. However I've not found Anyone else that follows this, and have since had to adjust to something locally known as a Co-FTF!?

Do you know where you read this in the FAQ? I followed and participated in the discussion of the official FRS radio channel back in '02 and as I recall the major reason for having the radios was so that we could meet up with other cachers, not so that we could avoid them at a cache! I'm just curious how it came to be that way. I've never thought it could be disrespectful to approach another cacher at a cache....

I used to carry my FRS radio around all the time after the official channel was decided on, but it never connected me with another cacher. Then again, There were probably less than 25 people who cached on a regular basis back then and probably less then 5 paid attention to the forums or web site to even know about the FRS channel. I wonder how many would now if we promoted it some?

Regarding co-FTF, Lee and I do it this way - we both go to the cache, if we find it at the same time, it's a co-ftf. If I am 15 feet away and looking somewhere else when Lee spots it, it's her find. I would use this same process no matter who I was caching with, and whoever I am with can feel free to use their method. If I am at a cache, and another cacher comes upon me, they can choose to hold back to find it themselves or join right in, it makes no difference to me.

In some ways, I feel an FTF on an unpublished cache is not really an FTF anyway. :rolleyes:

lexmano

09-17-2009, 07:32 PM

I don't have any Geo Rallye experience, and haven't heard any experiences. I understand that you're supposed to stop a specified distance from the cache location if someone is there. I assume that's determined by parking!? Or is the whistle for something more than Emergency use!?

Phil, there is NO premium for FTF's, the whistle is just to alert a team at a cache that you are coming. Then they have to finish up and vacate, whether they find the cache on not within 3 minutes. If no one else comes they can wait and go right back after your 3 minutes. The objective is to make sure that each team finds the caches on their own. These caches are spread out so, that we don't expect this to be a big issue, but needed some way to deal with any traffic jams that may develop.

Haffy

09-17-2009, 07:55 PM

In some ways, I feel a FTF on an unpublished cache is not really a FTF anyway. :rolleyes:

I feel the same way. ;)

Gob-ler

09-17-2009, 09:10 PM

Haffy -

Different day Same tune! Actually it is a broken record. Actually it is interesting that it bothers you since you found a cache once before it was published (I think you may have been present when it was hidden, but not sure about that) and claimed the very thing your now so against.

You should be congratulating the folks for all the hard work and the positive promotion of our fine hobby. The fact that you have hard feelings about the whole thing is well known. Back off and let them be!

Have a great rallye!

squirrelcache

09-17-2009, 09:32 PM

Do you know where you read this in the FAQ? ..........

It's at the end of the Geocaching.com official FAQ. I suppose it depends on how you read it. If Everyone has GPSrs capable of bringing them all w/in a 30' convergence........why would you need radios to get you together!? lol

You're in the serene woods of Maine.....hunting for a geocache that's been promoted as a great find. You walk over the hill only to find someone sitting w/the opened cache in their lap and reading the logs. That doesn't sound like fun to me Any which way you cut it!!

So that makes two situations I've walked away from in the woods. People on an unpublished via waypoint known as lovers lane ;) And geocachers that might want to be left in peace to find the cache. We can have just as much fun chatting trailside after it's been found.

squirrelcache

09-17-2009, 09:38 PM

Phil, there is NO premium for FTF's, the whistle is just to alert a team at a cache that you are coming. Then they have to finish up and vacate, whether they find the cache on not within 3 minutes. If no one else comes they can wait and go right back after your 3 minutes. The objective is to make sure that each team finds the caches on their own. These caches are spread out so, that we don't expect this to be a big issue, but needed some way to deal with any traffic jams that may develop.

Awesome.....I knew there weren't any unpublished FTFs on this upcoming trip ;) I do like the idea of the Whistle blow that starts the official 3 mins. timer. Unfortunately my egg timer is only 2mins. :( Hey...there's a new geocaching invention for the industrious among us. A 3 mins. Rallye Timer!! Talk about useful swag!!

brdad

09-18-2009, 06:34 AM

It's at the end of the Geocaching.com official FAQ. I suppose it depends on how you read it. If Everyone has GPSrs capable of bringing them all w/in a 30' convergence........why would you need radios to get you together!? lol

True, while the GPSrs would get you to the same spot, but oftentimes there are several ways into and out of a cache site. It was thought with the radios, most with a two mile range minimum, a person could broadcast from the parking area if there was a potential geocachers vehicle there, or just check randomly from the trails to see if any other cachers were heading to or from the cache.

You're in the serene woods of Maine.....hunting for a geocache that's been promoted as a great find. You walk over the hill only to find someone sitting w/the opened cache in their lap and reading the logs. That doesn't sound like fun to me Any which way you cut it!!

Well, if I am the one at the cache, I don't care if a cacher comes and joins me. I can see where I may not want to spoil my hunt if it I thought it was a good one so may opt to turn around and hold back (or if we were using the radios, stay out of sight knowing he was there), but in most cases for me, it would not ruin the experience.

I was FTF at a cache once - I went to the site and looked all over for about 5 minutes, and at that point the cache owner walked up with the cache and stated " I think this is what you're looking for!". He had published the cache the night before and figured no one would be there before 7 AM the next day. That did lessen the experience a little, and today I might not claim the find until I went away and came back when it was in place.

Maybe it's my not so good hearing, but I am not sure I would hear a whistle unless I was close enough to be in sight with the whistlers anyway. Of course, if radios were used for the rally, I'd probably forget to turn it on or run out of batteries!

TRF

09-18-2009, 07:30 AM

I've done over a thousand caches in the state of Maine and can still count on one hand the "encounters" I've had with other cachers at a cache site(excluding Event caches). When I have run into another cacher, meeting that person (or team) generally has turned out to be more memorable than the cache itself. Seems to me if a person wants complete and assured solitude and wants to completely remove the risk of running into another person then that person should give up geocaching and go aimlessly hike the western mountains somewhere. After all, the posted coordinates at geocaching.com ARE a convergence point and anybody who cares could load that point and go there.

I also wanted to comment about the cynicism and sarcasm regarding the rallye. How is it that those who are being satirical about the rallye can say they had a great time at a geo-caching event? They have games and raffles at a Gecoaching Event too. Couldn't it be construed that these Events are promoting an atmosphere of competition by promoting the, "best of..." or the, "most creative...." How are these competitions so much more pure and "ethical" than any other competitions? I've even been to an event where we all raced to an unpublished caches to get the prize which was essentially an FTF prize, remember Haffy, wasn't it a money award for getting to the cache first? It was either the Mount A. Event or a Cache Bashe event. Either way, it was a competitive event and it was FUN!! I'm sure these competitions at the geo-events had rules and guidelines to help promote a fun atmosphere, or at least the events I went to did.

Seems to be a lot of hippocritical cynicism. As far as building a 3 minute egg timer I think I'll be old fashion and watch the secondhand on my wristwatch. Old school I know but it still works.

brdad

09-18-2009, 10:19 AM

The only difference I see is that at most events the caches are most likely temporary or are already published, and the caches used for any games are on the premises of the event where permission to use the property for such games is assumed. In my opinion there is less likelihood of any problems arising with landowners or other non-cachers in these cases. I have even participated in some of these event competitions myself, and though it's not really my thing, I can't say as I didn't have fun either. Actually, it's been kind of funny at the Cache Bashes, 30 people wandering a 100 foot radius and it still takes 20 minutes to find the stupid thing! In fact I'd feel more comfortable if these competitions were done on a single property, such as a state park and with permission. Many of these properties could entertain perhaps a hundred of temporary and virtual style caches in a controlled environment. I might even support geocachingmaine.org holding an event in this manner. In fact, I like this idea enough to think we should entertain the idea and discuss the possibility.

That being said, I will once again say I have never heard of any serious issues that have resulted from any of the similar rallies in this state.

squirrelcache

09-18-2009, 10:27 AM

I want to appologize if my light hearted posts have offended anyone! My job as a goofy Dad often carries over into other interests. Life all around us is Too Derned Serious All the time. So I do what I can to cut up and have fun w/those around me. Just so long as no one gets hurt.....it's all good.

I was trying to be funny in painting a picture of standing earshot from a cache w/an Egg timer...and yelling "My turn"! I honestly don't have an issue w/any of the guidelines set forth to create a safe and fun environment for the event. If I did.....I'd do more than speak up....I'd get involved. I've done it many times in my own community, while others stood by heckling from the sidelines.

Once again I'm sorry if I've offended anyone. My e-mail's open to anyone that's taken offense. Please give me a chance to clarify/rectify if possible, Before you form false opinions.

brdad

09-18-2009, 10:31 AM

I liked the egg timer response!

lexmano

09-21-2009, 11:08 AM

The prizes are piling up, we are amazed at the generosity being displayed by our sponsors. At this time it is likely that everyone who participates will receive prizes with a value in excess of the cost of their entry!! Some will do much, much better. The top three teams will receive very generous prize packages! Also don't forget the PN-40 and NUVI which will be raffled off with everyone eligible!

I enclose a link to a web page with details of rules, equipment needed or suggested and a list of our sponsors.

http://sites.google.com/site/mainegeorallye3/sponsors-3

At this moment there are 20 teams with money in, several more we are expecting. Only one team from Bangor area so far, come on down folks! We have New York and Massachusetts teams coming. No one from New Hampshire yet.

The entry deadline has been extended to Wednesday September 23th. Please speak up and let us know if your entry is coming.

squirrelcache

09-28-2009, 11:00 PM

I'm curious how the scoring is done, on a geocache's D/T rating. I've seen online discussion of such, and no particular formula that I can remember. Anyone remember last year or know how it'll be done this year?

lexmano

09-29-2009, 08:14 AM

The hiders met and reviewed the nature of the hides.

The Virtual/non-cache items will score 1 to 3 points each

The caches will score from 4 to 10

The cache scores were determined by evaluating the D/T ratings plus an assessment of how long it will take. For example a 1.5/2.0 cache which requires a one mile trail walk to reach it will be worth more than a similarly rated cache which is near parking.

The goal is to reward folks who take the time to do the more time consuming caches.

Is the scoring perfect? I am sure arguments can be advanced each way, but it is what it is and should be fun to work with.

The winner may not be the folks who found the most items, it will be the folks who earned the most points.

Update, we have 60 hides, over 20 Virtual/non-cache items, close to 30 teams. Great prizes. Should be a fun day.

squirrelcache

09-29-2009, 01:18 PM

Seems quite fair and reasonable.....for sure. If points are already figured out, that should be helpful in planning, due to time constraints.

Thanks Ed

Team V3

09-29-2009, 02:34 PM

One question I have had is about how the packet is going to be organized. Does it start at one end and end on another or are they all mixed? Not that it matters as we will all be in the same boat anyways.

Team V3

09-29-2009, 02:36 PM

Also, does each team get one packet or each member?

lexmano

09-29-2009, 02:53 PM

One question I have had is about how the packet is going to be organized. Does it start at one end and end on another or are they all mixed? Not that it matters as we will all be in the same boat anyways.

Also, does each team get one packet or each member?

Hey Skip,

There will be one packet of cache info per team. I am unaware that the caches have been sorted in any particular order. I believe they were numbered as they were received by Jim Horwich and that they will be given to you in numerical order.

Ed

Team V3

09-29-2009, 03:04 PM

Fair enough :) Anything is fair as long as all are on the same level :)

dubord207

09-29-2009, 03:22 PM

Hope this isn't a dumb question, but I haven't done a rally before so...I assume that all the caches will be published at or near 8:00 AM? So will we all run a PQ at DeLorme, load into GSAK and off we go? Are we going to get a map with the caches shown on them, topo 7.0?

This sounds like it's going to be a hoot!

Haffy

09-29-2009, 04:05 PM

I could be wrong but that's about par for me recently. Anyway I think they probably will be published but not before all the event participants will be given the coordinates along with the whole packet at the start of the event. That way the participants of the event will be given the 1st chance at a FTF. I doubt any non-participant will be able to have a chance at the FTF. I could be wrong though and I'm sure someone will pipe in and correct me on that. Sounds like a great time no matter how it is handled,just wish I were there to take part in it. HAVE FUN Y"ALL

lexmano

09-29-2009, 04:24 PM

I could be wrong but that's about par for me recently. Anyway I think they probably will be published but not before all the event participants will be given the coordinates along with the whole packet at the start of the event. That way the participants of the event will be given the 1st chance at a FTF. I doubt any non-participant will be able to have a chance at the FTF. I could be wrong though and I'm sure someone will pipe in and correct me on that. Sounds like a great time no matter how it is handled,just wish I were there to take part in it. HAVE FUN Y"ALL

You are correct Haffy!!! The caches are set to be published after 4PM Saturday.

Since not all folks have access to the same technologies, this is old fashioned paper caching. A large component of a teams strategy will be figuring out where to go first and trying to avoid false starts and duplicated efforts.

I think haste may make waste, this race may go to the tortoise who carefully plods along maximizing its results.

brdad

09-29-2009, 04:25 PM

Is the scoring perfect? I am sure arguments can be advanced each way, but it is what it is and should be fun to work with.

I wish you knew a way to score them perfectly. I've pondered for over a year over D/T/Elevation/number of and types of words in logs/etc., to use in the stats. Too many variables to worry about being exact on that subject.

lexmano

09-29-2009, 04:40 PM

I wish you knew a way to score them perfectly. I've pondered for over a year over D/T/Elevation/number of and types of words in logs/etc., to use in the stats. Too many variables to worry about being exact on that subject.

Since this is a timed event, we felt that the time needed on a cache is a major component of the scoring. Easy caches that take more time need more points and a formula based on D/T combinations just could not cut it in this context.

There are a couple P&G's with higher points due to being a puzzle or waypoint projection cache. Plus find a tough hide quick and you will be rewarded.

cano

09-30-2009, 10:14 AM

I don't agree with registration fee. Geo rallye should be free. Even if there are no prices for winners. I don't need any price when I win, having fun and knowing I'm the best is enough for me. If I wanted to gamble for money I would go to casino, I don't need to pay and drive all day 300 miles and hope I will win something of value at least of registration fee. Geo rallye should be fun, it's more fun when you remove this gambling element and have nothing to lose. I understand there are another expenses besides prices related to placing caches and organizing the event, but we all are placing caches, spending some money and putting effort to create original caches, sometimes we put a reward for FTF and we don't ask anybody for compensation.

TRF

09-30-2009, 11:11 AM

I don't agree with registration fee. Geo rallye should be free. Even if there are no prices for winners. I don't need any price when I win, having fun and knowing I'm the best is enough for me. If I wanted to gamble for money I would go to casino, I don't need to pay and drive all day 300 miles and hope I will win something of value at least of registration fee. Geo rallye should be fun, it's more fun when you remove this gambling element and have nothing to lose. I understand there are another expenses besides prices related to placing caches and organizing the event, but we all are placing caches, spending some money and putting effort to create original caches, sometimes we put a reward for FTF and we don't ask anybody for compensation.

You must mean an additional fee(s) as I'm guessing that you pay geocaching.com $30.00 annually so you can have a reasonable chance at getting the "competitive" FTF. I've enjoyed chasing a few FTFs myself. :D

I do question how spending money (or not) correlates to something being considered fun or not. :D:D I've spent money both wisely and unwisely on things that I thought would be, or alluded to be, fun. A 10 spot seems pretty inexpensive considering things that I could do to entertain myself, (guys at work are trying to get me to pony up for a visit to the Dollhouse in or near Las Vegas.) :eek::eek::D

Team V3

09-30-2009, 02:05 PM

I have no problem paying a registration. Especially for something that everyone is going to enjoy.

WhereRWe?

09-30-2009, 02:09 PM

I have no problem paying a registration. Especially for something that everyone is going to enjoy.

Hmmm... I don't see "Donating Member" below your name... :D:D

Team V3

09-30-2009, 02:12 PM

Hehehe you got me there... In this thread I was talking about the rallye registration. However, I do plan on donating here when we can. Just like I don't mind being a premium member of geocaching.com :)

brdad

09-30-2009, 02:13 PM

Hmmm... I don't see "Donating Member" below your name... :D:D

You don't see it below mine, either! ;) Don't let the absence of the image below a name fool you.

I don't necessarily agree with the registration fee, either, but it's their function, and just like deciding to pay to do a cache at a state park or not, it's up to you to decide if it's worth it. I have on several occasions.

Ekidokai

09-30-2009, 02:36 PM

Even though I am extremely limited on funds for a while, I will cover the entry fee for the rallye for my friends. Cano come on down and you'll be taken care of. I will expect a hint or two on your mystery caches in return.

cano

09-30-2009, 02:44 PM

Even though I am extremely limited on funds for a while, I will cover the entry fee for the rallye for my friends. Cano come on down and you'll be taken care of. I will expect a hint or two on your mystery caches in return.

Hahaha, hints are not for sale. Thanks, but I'm not going to attend this event. I will rather place more puzzle caches around. This time absolutely no math will be involved :)

squirrelcache

09-30-2009, 03:02 PM

When the original registration fee was $20....I didn't hesitate. I was over-joyed when I heard the final figure of $10.

I've considered sponsoring/doing some events. While I may not know All that goes into it...I do know that you can't get everything donated. Therefore the money has to come from somewhere.

When things like apparel, cookbooks, discount cards etc. are offered to the community, there are always costs. It's great being able to take advantage of the offerings and know that proceeds will benefit the site, game or events. Seems like a win/win to me :)

There is Very little in life that's actually free. I'm just as frugal as the next guy ;) I think if someone can know in their heart that they give back monetarily or otherwise....that's a good goal. Things always go much better when you're asking "what can I give".....instead of "what am I getting".

For those that won't be attending the rallye, for what ever reason...you'll be missed. I'd have paid Much more for such an opportunity and such awesome memories.

Team V3

09-30-2009, 04:59 PM

Well said! I think BRDAD said it well too when he said that you decide if it is worth it to you. The reason I don't mind paying is because I realize that you could EASILY spend that much money going to lunch and a 2 hour movie. To spend that much on a whole day of fun activity is a great deal!

squirrelcache

09-30-2009, 05:59 PM

I think it's great that people think that we should be able to have such a huge event and offer it for Free to everyone. It just isn't practical....And nearly impossible. We all have great ideas on occassion.....and few of us have what it takes to put them into action.

Friends of mine used to complain about pitching in a few dollars here and there as a gift to help out the instructor. One day they were told some examples of just how much money goes into all the things they take for granted, by the instructor and private donations. I know my foot's big......therefore I'm often cautious in opening my mouth ;)

Sudonim

09-30-2009, 06:18 PM

Hahaha, hints are not for sale. Thanks, but I'm not going to attend this event. I will rather place more puzzle caches around. This time absolutely no math will be involved :)

How the heck am I going to use Excel to solve your puzzle if there's no math involved????:p

brdad

09-30-2009, 06:48 PM

How the heck am I going to use Excel to solve your puzzle if there's no math involved????:p

You could solve my Sounds Easy To Me (http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=9bcafb9f-f8e6-4610-a96f-1ccf9d525b99) (GC1VFWZ) by brdad (http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?id=61905) (3.5/3) in Excel, and without math. :D

cano

09-30-2009, 07:47 PM

OK, OK, don't kill me. I just said my opinion. I don't mind to pay $20 for the event. But it will look like gambling for me and I don't need that. If you say there is $20 fee and no prices, it would be fine with me. There would be no gambling since you can't win anything.

cano

09-30-2009, 07:48 PM

How the heck am I going to use Excel to solve your puzzle if there's no math involved????:p
There are also another programs like MS paint :rolleyes:

squirrelcache

09-30-2009, 08:50 PM

Cano...like yourself...I also am not big on gambling. I think I might have missed something along the way. I hadn't heard that there are any cash prizes involved. There are many donated prizes you can win....no different than many of the Free events we normally attend. I might be wrong.....and hope someone will correct me if that is the case. So therefore....you get a day of finding fun caches w/lots of great friends...and stand to win prizes that may equal the value of your entry fee. Simply stated...a fun day w/a great return on your monetary investment.

Just looking to understand and possibly clarify any possible misunderstandings.... mine or otherwise.

Team V3

10-01-2009, 01:39 PM

I don't think there are any cash prizes and nobody meant to get on you about your opinion Cano. :) I am a firm believer in people being entitled to opinions. :) Personally, I think the great thing about caching is you can chose your level of interest. Some people just may not want to pay a registration and that is their choice to make if they don't want to do an event due to monetary reasons.

squirrelcache

10-01-2009, 02:04 PM

And as has been done.....and offered....... if you don't have the money....doesn't mean that you can't/won't be included. That's what's great about making friends on here ;)

dubord207

10-03-2009, 08:04 PM

Just returned from GeoRally 3. What a great event! Kudos to Jim and Dave, Barry and all others who put a terrific effort into making this happen. For those of you who don't embrace this sort of thing, try it! We didn't set out to win any awards or break any records and in spite of the "damp" weather, we had a ball. These were all quality caches..we did only one GRC all day. Most were hikes on beautiful, albeit somewhat wet trails but that didn't slow us down at all. While it's billed as a "competition", for team "lock, stock and two barrels loaded" it was a great day to do a bunch of very well placed and thought out caches

The coffee and donuts start was great and not a problem for those of us who count calories because there was plenty of hiking to follow.

I'm not certain, but I'm guessing most if not all attendees got a prize, and these were all quality prizes.

So this event gets and A plus,, that's two in a row! Don't miss this one next time it happens!!!!!!!:)

shuman road searchers

10-03-2009, 08:42 PM

Dan you said it well. The rally was a blast! I had a great time seeing friends and caching with friends! We did a puzzle cache that was a grc in the end but that was the only grc.All of the others were quality hikes and most were to scenic locales. Thanks to all that put in all of the hard work involved in this kind of activity and I can not wait to do it again!

lexmano

10-03-2009, 08:56 PM

The Rallye was a great time. Many thanks to Delorme for allowing us to use their facilities!!

All Rallye participants won door prizes and as Dan mentioned they were excellent. The PN40 went to MaineSleddah (Mike Morrisette) who was also on the winning rally team.

The Armed Omelet team finished third. Armed Omelet is a team made up of folks who work for DeLorme. Great showing for first time Rallye runners!

There was a tie for first place between a team made up of MaineSleddah and Hoamdezinahs and a team made up of Trick or Treat and Team Moxiepup. The tie breaker was the team which checked in first, Maine Sleddah and HD won as they returned 5 minutes earlier!!

A great time and a lot of fun. Again many thanks to all who helped make this the success it was!!

squirrelcache

10-03-2009, 09:08 PM

Thank you so much for the motivational opportunity to do caches which I may never have gotten...or atleast not for a while. The water caches were a blast. If the same rules are kept for those....my team will need to recruit atleast one more member in order to give the top teams additional friendly competition.

team moxiepup

10-03-2009, 10:22 PM

This was our first time officially running the rallye and we had a blast!! We helped at the first rallye so we didn't run it officially but we enjoyed finding a few caches unofficially. Today was a different story, we team up with Trick or Treat to become a Puppy Treat Power House Team. We did some water caches and caches ranging from easy to hard. We actually had to DNF a 1.5 cache :eek: but had a difficulty 4 hide in our hand within a minute of jumping out of the car. The hiders went all out to place some very different and interesting caches. for us to find along the way.
Thanks to all for making this a extremely fun day. I haven't laughed so much in a long time!:D

Next year 1st place maybe??? :D

masterson of the universe

10-03-2009, 10:23 PM

I have to say the weather was the only unfortunate part about today. We had a great time searching to find as many virtuals as we could during the trip back from trails in Bowdinham. While it was wet and made some of our DNF's a little bit harder to take, we pushed on and had fun. Thanks again to everyone involved in the setup, recruitment of donations, and the competition for showing up.

The quality of the donated items given away as prizes to everyone involved just for participating was amazing as it wasn't just standard cache swag. I especially enjoyed viewing everyone elses photos during the slideshow to see how they attacked the virtuals. Everyone seemed to go a different route and I can't believe how many purple doors there are out there...lol.

Team V3

10-04-2009, 12:45 AM

I also must say that Team V3 had a great time at the rallye though at the end the little guy was ready to get home. The caches were fun, the prizes were generous and it was great to get to meet everyone. This was not just our first rallye but also our first event.

Ekidokai

10-05-2009, 02:24 AM

My first rally. It was quit the experience. Had the best people to cache with Team Rag-A-Muffin, so everything was perfect. The next rally will go much smoother as far as planning things out.

I somehow missed the appearance of Captain Chaos from the Cannon Ball Run.

squirreldh

10-12-2009, 02:47 AM

We also had a wonderful time at our first rallye. Lots of fun caches plus the virtuals made driving between caches quite fun and interesting, why are there so many people stopping in front of my house taking pics of my mailbox, lawn ornaments, weathervane, etc.. ;) I just want to know if there are any official results from the rallye we can check out. I know who won and took second and third, but what about the rest of us? I would like to know how I placed in the whole sceme of things, considering I just started caching in January and it was my first rallye. Any help would be appreciated, thanks and happy caching!

TeamHorwich

10-12-2009, 09:00 AM

any day now - just waiting for Barry to get back from his trip to geocoinfest and I'll post everything...thanks!

kayakerinme

10-12-2009, 09:44 AM

Sorry for the delay; it wasn't my biggest thing Saturday night when I got home :)

I tried to get the data from my other computer but was not able to talk my son through it so I gave up that route. Instead, I'll be able to do this when I return this Friday.

squirreldh

10-23-2009, 11:59 PM

Thanks for getting results posted! And thanks again for putting on a great and well organized event. We are already practicing/planning for next year. I must say we did better than we thought we would, I guess having only two members helped instead of hindered us, maybe two more sets of eyes would have helped for the virtuals though. Cant wait til next year!

team moxiepup

11-15-2009, 08:30 PM

Here is what the parking area for several of the Rallye Caches looked like today. Hopefully the Caches survived.